+JohnTee Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Does anyone have any ideas for some activites for kids at an indoor event? This is going to be a 'Meet and Greet and it's possible it could be cool and/or rainy outside. We do have a nearby riverfront, flood wall murals and benches that are very family friendly for an outside break, if weather allows. One idea I have so far is to have a Geocaching Treasure Chest with a bunch of kid stuff in it. Bouncy Balls, maybe some new Happy Meal Toys, etc. Each kid can pick a treasure out of the box. I'd appreciate any other ideas. At this point I have no idea of numbers or ages of children that will be attending. Thanks! JohnTee Quote Link to comment
+Web-ling Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 We usually keep a collection of coloring books & crayons, activity books, and small toys for kids. Another idea would be to have a video available. If it's a larger event & you're expecting a lot of kids, draft someone to be in charge of the kids' activities for the event. Quote Link to comment
+Criminal Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 We had a pseudo-event at an outdoor shooting range last summer. We had geocachers with their friends and kids and we all had a terrific time. Kids love guns. Quote Link to comment
+The Cheeseheads Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 At a recent event, there were some easy caches hidden around the perimeter of the picnic site for the kids to find. Everyone got the coordinates to enter in, and the adults were encouraged to give the kids the opportunity to follow the arrow to find the caches. Inside were tokens that could be redeemed for a small prizes back at the pavilion. Quote Link to comment
Dosido Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 We just had our meet this past weekend. We spray painted 4 ammo cans various colors, then set up a cache design station for the kids to decorate the ammo cans using paint markers (available at Staples - brand is uni-paint). The kids had a blast painting them, and then we gave them away as door prizes at the end of the event. Last year we had a craft table set up to entertain the kids. Brian Quote Link to comment
+frivlas Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Speaking as a parent of 5 and 7 year old boys who have attended several events..... Go online and print out a stack of free coloring pages and get some boxes of crayons from the dollar store and put those on a table. I know that mine would love it if I handed them a stack of containers and a roll of camo duct tape and asked them to camo the containers. I loved the painting ammo can suggestion. We were at one this weekend where the event was inside, but there were a couple of bounce houses just outside. That was great. Give the kids each sheet of lined paper and have them see how many signatures they can get from other cachers. My kids spent the most recent event collecting signatures on their own. A scavenger hunt is always fun as long as everybody wins something. Just don't make it too hard. I've been to an event where it was learned the hard way that putting a nut coin vertically down deep into the grass isn't the best idea. (it took several adults plus the hider and a metal detector to find it again). Have fun, and glad you are thinking about the kids! Quote Link to comment
+sTeamTraen Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 People tend to being TBs along to events. You can maybe keep one or two of the less boisterous kids amused (or at least, quiet) by making a list of the tracking numbers so people can "discover" all the TBs later. As long as they are old enough to be responsible with them, TBs and kids go well together in other ways which the kids will make up. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Tell the kids to sit down, shut up, be seen and not heard. Keep a spray bottle of a dilute solution of amonia and pepper sauce and if they get out of hand give them a squirt in the face. Quote Link to comment
+Criminal Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Try this: Count out 20 of those Sacajamima dollar coins and then throw the whole handful out into the woods. Tell the kids they can keep them if they can find them all, if they don’t they have to give them back. Then, when they all run into the woods, put the one coin you palmed into your pocket. Quote Link to comment
+Half-Canadian Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I have a big box of craft stuff -- styrofoam shapes, feathers, construction paper, stick-on eyes, pipe cleaners, etc. for events. If there are going to be a lot of kids and not much for them to do, I'll bring that to my events and set up a spot for them to spread all that out on a table and make their own "travel bugs" that they can take home. Keeps them busy for quite awhile. Quote Link to comment
+JohnTee Posted February 23, 2007 Author Share Posted February 23, 2007 With this being an indoor event, I think we'll have to hold off on the easy caches, bounce pit, painting, firearms and scavenger hunt. Some good ideas for our outdoor event later this year though. Hmmmm, pig roast at the creek, alcohol, fireworks, firearms . . . wait! That was with the sheriff's department. The suggestion of coloring books and videos was good. I hadn't thought about looking for free coloring pages on the internet. I'll add that to my Geocaching Treasure Chest. Briansnat and Criminal, you know where you guys are going! Thanks everyone. JohnTee Quote Link to comment
+frivlas Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Tell the kids to sit down, shut up, be seen and not heard. Keep a spray bottle of a dilute solution of amonia and pepper sauce and if they get out of hand give them a squirt in the face. You know...in a world where sickos poison halloween candy or disfigure people for fun, this isn't even remotely funny, even as a joke. Quote Link to comment
+Kealia Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 (edited) Oh please. If you can't see the humor in a simple statement...... Brian - I'm now cleaning coffee off my monitor. Oh, and given the behavior from some kids that I've seen at recent events - this may not be a bad idea. Edited February 23, 2007 by kealia Quote Link to comment
+frivlas Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Oh please. If you can't see the humor in a simple statement...... Brian - I'm now cleaning coffee off my monitor. Oh, and given the behavior from some kids that I've seen at recent events - this may not be a bad idea. Well that figures... Oh, and I know that you are not talking about my kids because I know what they were doing and I had several comment on how good their behavior was. There comes a point where humor crosses the line and stops being funny. A simple humorous comment about hijacking a plane might seem funny, but try saying it on a plane or in an airport.... Quote Link to comment
+Kealia Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 I never intimated it was your kids, relax. If you can't see the difference between saying "hijack" at the airport and a tongue-in-cheek response.......ah, forget it. For the kids - bring toys, coloring books, or create simple treasure hunts using micros inside the facility to keep them busy. Most kids I've seen just like to: 1) Be involved somehow, OR 2) Be left alone to play Quote Link to comment
+Marky Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Most kids I've seen just like to:1) Be involved somehow, OR 2) Be left alone to play That goes for most adults too. Quote Link to comment
+Hula Bum Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 The more kids you have around the harder organized games/activities are to do. Don't expect help from the parents, as most of them tend to just let their kids run about and leave it up to you to corral and control them for any games. Coloring books, beads etc that are easy for them to do on their own are the best (expect a mess at the end of the event though!) If you have electricity then a movie may help too (somewhere in a quiet corner if there is one.) Quote Link to comment
+frivlas Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Coloring books, beads etc that are easy for them to do on their own are the best (expect a mess at the end of the event though!) If you have electricity then a movie may help too (somewhere in a quiet corner if there is one.) I like the beads idea....are you talking stringing or making out of fimo? Movies are always good too. You could also put them to work applying official geocache stickers to the outside of cache containers or stuffing plastic bags into film cans for cito kits, or even rolling logs and putting them into film cans for micros (as a last resort ;-) ) Quote Link to comment
+Marky Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 ..or even rolling logs and putting them into film cans for micros (as a last resort ;-) )If you really want to keep them busy, have them roll up nano logs and put them in nano caches... Quote Link to comment
+frivlas Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 ..or even rolling logs and putting them into film cans for micros (as a last resort ;-) )If you really want to keep them busy, have them roll up nano logs and put them in nano caches... This isn't even remotely funny, even as a joke. Quote Link to comment
+BRoKeN W Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 To entertain kids at birthday parties we usually print off coloring sheets, and buy some cheap crayons or markers (washable of course). We also like buying things from the Oriental Trading Company (they have an online store), it's pretty cheap. When my husband was in Guam I dyed dried macaroni noodles using food coloring and once the dye dried I had my son make a macaroni necklace, using the dyed macaroni and white yarn. If you choose to have any crafts that involve the use of beads, be aware that some kids (depending upon their age) will shove them up their nose and possibly in their ears. Good luck with the event! Quote Link to comment
+prntr1 Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Go to the nearest craft store, buy $20.00 worth of those little foamy cutouts and a couple of bottles of glue. Kid friendly activity that keeps them busy for hours. Quote Link to comment
+frivlas Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Go to the nearest craft store, buy $20.00 worth of those little foamy cutouts and a couple of bottles of glue. Kid friendly activity that keeps them busy for hours. Oh, that's a good one too. Plus paper! Substitute glue sticks for bottles of glue and it's even cleaner. :-) Quote Link to comment
+Shop99er Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 The more kids you have around the harder organized games/activities are to do. Don't expect help from the parents, as most of them tend to just let their kids run about and leave it up to you to corral and control them for any games. Coloring books, beads etc that are easy for them to do on their own are the best (expect a mess at the end of the event though!) Ain't that the truth. Quote Link to comment
+WalruZ Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 At an event we put on we hid some cammo-taped cheap tupperware containers of gift-bag stuff within a not-too-big proscribed area, and at a certain point we described what was out there to the kids. No coordinates, just boundaries. Each container had one type of thing in it, so they went from one to the other filling a bag (which they could then play with.) It was simple enough that even the younger kids could do it with help from the older ones, no GPS required. It might help if you tell the kids to re-hide the containers as they visit them and then let them go out a few at a time, but the ones who were there were just an uncontrollable whirlwind. Especially those little checkers. whoo! Quote Link to comment
+misguided one Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 What you really need is a large number of cats and a corral. Have the kids round up the cats and herd them into the corral. Quote Link to comment
+Team GeoBlast Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 Does anyone have any ideas for some activites for kids at an indoor event? This is going to be a 'Meet and Greet and it's possible it could be cool and/or rainy outside. We do have a nearby riverfront, flood wall murals and benches that are very family friendly for an outside break, if weather allows. One idea I have so far is to have a Geocaching Treasure Chest with a bunch of kid stuff in it. Bouncy Balls, maybe some new Happy Meal Toys, etc. Each kid can pick a treasure out of the box. I'd appreciate any other ideas. At this point I have no idea of numbers or ages of children that will be attending. Thanks! JohnTee I've got a few: 1. Have the kids hide a cache for the adults. Instead of using a GPS..have the kids "help" by using hot and cold. 2. Have a Parent/sibling hunting contest. A cache is hidden by the hosts of the party. Kids/Parent team would assemble at the starting line. Get them all ready to go an say "oh we forgot one small rule. The parents must be blindfolded and the kids need to operate the GPSrs. 3. Transform the kids into event caches. Ask 6-10 kids to participate and ask them to tell you something interesting and or fun about themselves.. could be a pet name or their favorite cartoon. Put a film canister in their pocket and give them a different type of nametag, hat, or some way of attendees to identify them. Then as people arrive at the event give them a list of event caches to log. Limit the amount of guesses that can used per event cache. Quote Link to comment
+DresselDragons Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Go to the nearest craft store, buy $20.00 worth of those little foamy cutouts and a couple of bottles of glue. Kid friendly activity that keeps them busy for hours. You can even get those foam shapes as stickers, just peel and stick! If you don't buy the sticky kind, buy small (disposable) paint brushes...pour a little glue in a dixie cup, and have the kids apply the glue with the brush...prevents the kids from fighting over the glue. Play dough is always fun, and you could even make up a batch yourself...it's pretty cheap, and uses items that you probably already have around the house (email me if you want the recipe). Another fun thing to do (and this would require one adult to supervise the activity) is to make slime (all you need is white glue, borax, water, food coloring, and a zip-lock). You'd be amazed how long that can keep the kids occupied. Bingo always goes over well with kids...just use candy as the markers. Quote Link to comment
+hollora Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 At an event this winter here in Maine - the sponor set up a table for the children. They could work on filling film cannisters with bags for CITO containers for caches, making their own signature items out of craft materials and of course out doors they could slide on the hill or skate on the ice rink. In the summer another event sponsor has made a water slide out of a large sheet of plastic and a hose - even the adults got into this one. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Tell the kids to sit down, shut up, be seen and not heard. Keep a spray bottle of a dilute solution of amonia and pepper sauce and if they get out of hand give them a squirt in the face. You know...in a world where sickos poison halloween candy or disfigure people for fun, this isn't even remotely funny, even as a joke. Get a grip dude. I'm not talking about spraying other people's kids with the stuff. Just your own. By the way, where is this rampant poisoning of Halloween candy going on? The national media have been strangely silent about it. Quote Link to comment
+mikeslomka Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 I am 33 years old, and for the vast majority of those years, I have heard about poisin candy or razor blades in apples, but I have never seen 1 case where it happened. I have seen it in horror movies, but never on the news. I have also helped work the x-ray machines at the hospital to have the little darlings x-ray their candy, and never once found a pin or a razor. As far as keeping kids busy, how about a treasure map with pictures instead of words. Place the treasures some where within 5 feet of the whatever you drew and let the kids search away. Coupons for ice cream at McDonalds are good finds, as well as quarters and beannie babies(those things are worthless now). As a last restort, try a little bendryl and orange juice. They'll sleep right through the event.(By the way, that was a joke) Quote Link to comment
+The Herd Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Tell the kids to sit down, shut up, be seen and not heard. Keep a spray bottle of a dilute solution of amonia and pepper sauce and if they get out of hand give them a squirt in the face. Try this: Count out 20 of those Sacajamima dollar coins and then throw the whole handful out into the woods. Tell the kids they can keep them if they can find them all, if they don’t they have to give them back. Then, when they all run into the woods, put the one coin you palmed into your pocket. ..or even rolling logs and putting them into film cans for micros (as a last resort ;-) )If you really want to keep them busy, have them roll up nano logs and put them in nano caches... Bring cute cuddly puppies. Kids love that! Or think ahead for event locations that have playgrounds nearby. Quote Link to comment
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